Finding a Way Back
by lareinaSelena
Summary: Set post-AJBAC . . . yes, I know it's been done, and done, but this one is different, I swear!! Just give it a chance. Max is being "rehabilitated" at Manticore. She plans to escape, with the help of friends. What will happen? Read and find out!!!!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Aw, don't you guys know the drill by now

Disclaimer: Aw, don't you guys know the drill by now??? :Sighs dramatically: Ok, fine! I don't own 'em, I'm just borrowing, I'll give 'em back in time for next season, I promise! Just don't sue me; all you'll get are my school loans! 

A/N: Yes, it's another post-finale fic! :Ducks to avoid flying objects: Don't look at me like that; what else do we have to work with? I know it's going to be moot soon, with the premiere and all, but I figure we can still make up our own versions; what else is fanfiction for? Anyway, I really wasn't going to write one; I can't even watch the finale, how was I supposed to write a post-finale fic? But you know how muses are; mine kept begging, and begging, and I finally gave in. :Tosses treat to DA muse: I've read a lot of fics where Max escapes and gets back to Logan, but most of those fics start from that point; I wanted to do one that examined her being in Manticore and the escape in more detail. So, this was born; enjoy!

A/N 2: A HUGE thank-you to my beta-readers, afan and Angel (aka angel_gurl); without them, this story would not be half as good as it is! :blows kisses: Thanks, chicas! Oh, and somewhere in this chapter is a reference to another fic called 'By Any Other Name', written by Kara. Bonus points if you can find it; it's kind of obscure! Ok, ok, enough yap – here it is!!!!

Finding a Way Back

Max lay quietly on the medical cot, listening to the sound of her heartbeat as it echoed throughout the room. _'Not my heart,'_ she reminded herself. _'Zack's heart.'_ A wave of emotion swept over her at the thought; remorse, sadness, guilt, and more, to the point where Max thought she would choke on it all. Memories of the attack on Manticore flooded her mind, with all her mistakes jumping out at her.

_'I shouldn't have gone back for Brin,'_ Max berated herself angrily. _'If only I hadn't hesitated when I saw that X7; I should have moved faster when I saw the gun. If I had, Zack wouldn't have . . .' _It brought tears to her eyes just to think of the sacrifice Zack had made for her. But no matter what happened, Max was determined to keep on fighting, to honor her big brother's memory.

They had left her alone with the heartbeat all night; she knew someone would be coming soon to check on her condition and start the inevitable reindoctrination. The door opened, and she looked over to see a face that was both familiar and sadly alien at the same time.

"Hello, Max." Brin said quietly. She carried a tray over and put it on the bedside table, then fixed Max with a firm stare. "If I untie your arms, will you eat this and not try to attack me? You'll only hurt yourself." Her tone was calm, but Max could hear the underlying threat.

As much as she wanted to hurl the tray and its offending bland military fare across the room, Max knew she needed her strength. "I'll eat," she said aloud, fighting to keep an even tone. 

"Good." Brin undid the restraints, and then sat down in a chair next to the bed. She didn't speak while Max ate; when she was done, Brin refastened the restraints, picked up the tray, and headed for the door.

"What did they do to you, Brin?" Max asked just as her "sister" reached the door. "How can you be happy here? Don't you miss being outside, being free?"

"No," Brin replied, turning to face Max. "Manticore saved me. They reminded me of who and what I am. Here I can be who I was meant to be, without having to hide what I can do from anyone. It's more freedom than I ever had out there. You'll see, Max; they'll do it for you, and for Tinga as well."

"Tinga?" Max cried. "Brin, Tinga is dead."

"You're lying," Brin snapped, her eyes narrowing. "Tinga is being held at another facility so she can be treated for a defective genetic condition. As soon as she is well, she'll be returned here. Director Renfro told me so herself."

"And you believed her, of course. Have you even seen Tinga?" Max demanded. "Have you seen her since you turned her over to them? How could Renfro bring her back and not let you be there to help in her rehabilitation, or at least to show her what a perfect soldier you've become? Go find Tinga, Brin – but be careful. You may not like what you find."

Max searched Brin's face, trying to see if anything she said had reached her "sister", but the other woman's face was stony and impassive. Without another word, Brin exited the room. Sighing, Max dropped her head back to the pillow. She knew that the mental reconditioning would most likely begin soon, and she wanted to be ready for it.

_'I'll need a defense,'_ she told herself. _'Something to build a wall around my mind so thick they won't be able to break it. Something to be my lifeline, so I don't drown in all their propaganda.'_ After thinking on that for a while, Max's mind wandered to an image of Logan, his bright blue eyes filled with love for her. Then it hit her. "His eyes," Max whispered. "I'll use Logan's eyes." She had always loved his eyes, so bright and full of life, of intelligence and a desire to make the world better. As if thinking of his eyes opened a gate, suddenly memories of Logan began to appear, one after another:

_:The fire in his eyes as he argued with her to protect Lauren and Sophy Braganza:_

:All the conversations they'd had about Manticore. Not once had she ever seen judgement or accusation in his eyes, only compassion and understanding:

:Their kiss outside his family cabin, when she thought she would never see him again. She could see his caring for her in his eyes, and that had scared her . . .:

:Just after their second kiss, on the floor of his apartment. The love in his eyes hadn't scared her this time, because she had come to terms with her feelings for him, and they had all the time in the world to tell each other . . . :

:Lying in his arms in the woods outside Manticore, just after being shot. She could see the terror in his eyes, and struggled to tell him, before it was too late . . . But there was no more time:

Max shook her head, pulling herself out of the memories. "Bring it on," she said aloud to the empty room. "I can take it." _'With Logan's help, I can do anything . . .'_

Brin strode down the hall towards the workout room. Her face was placid, but behind the mask, her emotions whirled. She had never expected Max to be an easy convert; even as a child, her little sister had always been the most stubborn and independent of the group. _'I remember when she named herself Max,'_ Brin thought to herself, allowing a small smile at the memory. _'We all thought the guards were going to beat her. I was so proud of her for standing up to them . . .'_ Her sister had surprised her, however, with the depths of her duplicity.

_'How could she lie to me?'_ Brin wondered. _'Using Tinga like that; how could she look me in the eye and tell me Tinga is dead? Is she that cold? I thought she cared about her family.'_ Reaching the training area, she positioned herself on a mat in the center of the room and began a meditative kata. The flowing movements usually cleared her mind and settled her doubts. This time, however, questions continued to surface. Director Renfro had made a point of having her involved in Max's rehabilitation into the Manticore family, telling her that she could be a positive and familiar influence on her lost and confused sibling. Tinga had been back in Manticore hands for over a week now, and Brin had yet to even see her. As she came out of the kata, Brin knew what she had to do. She would go to the Director and request permission to visit Tinga. Once she had proof that her sister was alive and well, it would be that much easier to break Max's resistance and bring her back to the fold as well. It was only a matter of time.

_Back in Max's room . . . _

"Good morning, X5-452. It's time to begin your rehabilitation," declared an overly cheerful tech as she wheeled a strange-looking device into the room. The cot was tilted up and Max's eyes were held open and directed at the far wall. She felt a needle sink into her flesh as familiar words began to flash on the wall: Duty, Discipline, Honor . . . 

_In Director Renfro's office . . . _

"Ma'am?" Brin snapped to attention and saluted. "X5-734 requesting permission to visit X5-656, to assist in rehabilitation."

Ok, that's it! What will happen to Max? Stay tuned to find out! :Chuckles evilly: Don't worry, more is on the way very very soon!!!!! Put some words in that big blue box down there and let me know what you think! Be warned, flames will only be removed and used to toast marshmallows – mmmm . . . smores . . . . 


	2. Finding a Way Back, chapter 2

Disclaimer: Sigh 

Disclaimer: Sigh . . . all right, fine!!! :Reads from prepared script: The show Dark Angel does not belong to me, nor do any of the characters or actors! There – are you guys happy now? :Throws up hands and stalks away muttering to self about unfairness of life:

A/N: Ok, peeps, here's chapter 2! I'd like to thank profusely everyone who reviewed – all five of you, LOL! Ok, so maybe there were more than five people who read it, but how would I know? Come on, I know you're out there; leave words in the box, let me know what you think! How else will I know if I'm any good?

A/N 2: I'd like to throw big virtual hugs and kisses at my beta readers, afan and angel_gurl; without you guys, this story would frankly be cheesy and half-baked! Thanks, chicas, for correcting all my mistakes without making me feel too dumb about it, LOL! Ok, that's it – for goodness' sake, PLEASE read and **review**!!!!!!

Finding a Way Back, chapter 2

"X5-656?" The director's lips quirked into what looked like a smile. Privately, Brin wondered what was so amusing. _'Stop it!'_ she told herself. _'Soldiers don't question their superiors!'_ **_'But you did . . .'_** a voice whispered back from deep inside her. Giving herself a mental shake, Brin returned her attention to Renfro.

"X5-656 is being treated for a genetic condition," the blond woman said coolly. "I thought I explained this to you already." There was a patronizing tone to her voice that Brin suddenly realized had always irritated her.

"That was over a week ago, ma'am," Brin pointed out, fighting to keep a respectful tone. "With all due respect, what's taking so long?"

"Enough!" Renfro snapped, her hand slamming down on the desk for emphasis. Rising to her feet, she leaned over her desk and glared at Brin. "The X5's, and especially X5-656, are my concern – not yours. Do not question me again, X5-734, or I will make sure you regret it. Dismissed!"

Automatically, Brin spun on her heel and left the office. Once outside, she wandered for several minutes before she realized that she had no idea where she was going. _'Not my concern?'_ she wondered. _'Tinga's my sister; how can she not be my concern?'_ A sudden thought froze her stock-still in the middle of a hallway.

**_'What if Max is right?'_**

Looking up, she saw that she had stopped outside the archive room, where all the records were kept on the X-series. It hadn't been that long since she left Renfro's office, but there was already a guard posted outside the door where none had been before. _'That's strange,'_ Brin thought. _'Why post a guard now? What could have happened since . . .'_ The thought trailed off as realization set in. _'There's something in there she doesn't want me to see; something to do with Tinga.'_

The guard looked at her curiously, and Brin realized she was still standing in the hallway. She continued on down the hall, giving a 'carry on' nod to the guard as she went past. Once around the corner, she stopped and peeked back at the guard, sizing him up. He wasn't an X5, but one of the regular soldiers assigned to the base. _'She underestimates me,'_ Brin thought smugly. There was no other way into the room, but unless the guard was an X5 or higher, she would have no problem gaining access. _'All I need is a plan . . .'_

-----------

The mind-altering drug they had given her was strong. Really strong. Max struggled to maintain her defenses against the words flashing on the wall and the drill instructor pacing in front, reinforcing the words as he had done when they were children.

His voice seemed to come from far away, repeating the words over and over. To Max's horror, the wall that she had constructed of memories of Logan's eyes crumbled almost immediately, and she found herself fighting each attack tooth and nail, desperately trying to preserve her sense of self.

:Objective: 

"The only thing that matters is accomplishing the objective! . . . The only thing that matters is accomplishing the objective . . .the objective . . .objective . . ." The phrase sparked a memory from deep inside Max . . . 

_"The only thing that matters is accomplishing the objective," Jace stated, parroting the Manticore dogma she'd been fed since birth._

"You stay out here long enough, you find out Manticore had it all backwards," Max replied, moving closer to the bed. "Everything matters except the objective."

**_'Everything matters except the objective . . . Everything matters except the objective . . .'_** Max repeated the phrase over and over to herself, trying to counter Manticore's propaganda. Relief washed over her as her mind shook off the attack.

**__**

'Manticore's objective can go to hell!' Max hurled the thought against the attacking dogma with renewed vigor. Then the next word flashed on the wall, and the struggle resumed.

:Loyalty: 

"The only loyalty is to Manticore, to your fellow soldiers! . . .The only loyalty is to Manticore . . .your fellow soldiers . . . loyalty . . . Manticore . . . soldiers . . .' **_'No . . .'_** Max thought. **_'Loyalty . . . is to my friends . . .to Logan . . .'_** She searched for a memory to fight back with, and almost panicked when none appeared.

_"Don't be crazy! Lydecker's got the entire city looking for you!"_

Zack's voice floated up out of her memory, and Max grabbed at the surfacing memory like a lifeline.

_They stand outside of the cabin, Zack blocking her path back to Logan. "Out of my way or I go through you. What's it gonna be?" Max says, challenging her brother._

"You wanna take me on? Huh, Maxie?" Zack demands, grabbing her jacket. "Go ahead – go ahead."

Max tries to attack Zack, but he grabs her easily by the shoulders and waist. He holds her with her back to him. "You better get your head in the game, soldier." Zack orders. He kicks Max to the ground and goes after her again, but she flips over top of him. Zack throws a roundhouse punch, but Max ducks under it, and blocks two more punches. Zack then tries to kick Max, but she uses her legs to foil the attempts. She grabs Zack by his lapels.

"Think I'm not in the game?" Max demands. She throws Zack for a loop, never letting go of his lapels, and lands on top of him. "Think again."

"Okay," Zack whispers, his hands in the 'surrender' position. Max climbs off him and begins walking back to Seattle, and Logan . . .

:Mission: 

"Your mission is to serve and protect Manticore! . . . Your mission is to serve and protect . . . serve and protect . . . Manticore . . . serve . . . Manticore . . . protect . . . Manticore . . ." **_'My mission is to serve and protect Manticore,'_** Max repeated dully, her mind weakening under the relentless assault. **_'My mission is to serve and protect – NO!'_** Max gave herself a hard mental slap as she found herself almost giving in to the dogma. **_'My mission is to escape, as soon as possible, and to get back to Logan . . .'_** His name echoed through her mind, along with more memories, and she steeled herself to fight some more . . . 

After an eternity, it was over. The drill instructor was asking her questions, trying to determine her state of mind. The brainwashing drug was still clouding her thoughts, but Max found enough presence of mind to tell him what he wanted to hear, to make him think the process was working. **_'It almost did work,'_** she thought to herself as a sickening feeling settled in her stomach. **_'If it hadn't been for Logan . . .'_**

The instructor seemed to buy it, and left the room. She could see Renfro on the other side of the door as it opened, waiting for a report. "What is X5-452's condition?" she asked.

"She's progressing about how we expected, ma'am," the instructor replied. "I would say her reindoctrination is coming along on schedule. It might take some time – I'm expecting her to be somewhat resistant, given how much time she spent outside – but I'm confident that she'll be back with us very soon." Their voices faded as they walked away from the door. 

**_'I don't know how much more of this I can take,'_** Max admitted to herself. She looked around the room, at the stark gray walls that had haunted her nightmares for years after the escape, and felt a twinge of real fear, deep in her soul.

**__**

'What if I don't make it out?'

------------Brin lay on her cot, listening to the sounds of the night and of the other X5's who slept nearby. _'Figures that the only two X5's who don't sleep would be among those who escaped,'_ she thought wryly to herself. She usually needed as much sleep as any of her brothers and sisters, but on those nights when sleep eluded her, Max and Jondy had been there to keep her company. The three of them would stay up and talk, tell stories, and wonder about the world outside. 

_'I wish one of them were here now,'_ Brin admitted sadly. _'I need some advice, I don't know what to do . . .'_ It had been easy enough to get past the guard; a few sleeping pills in his coffee, and he was out like a light. It had been just as easy to get into the computer and find Tinga's file.

Brin had often been glad to have a photographic memory, but not now: images flashed through her mind, cold and precise, and she cursed sleep for not granting her oblivion from them, even for a short time. Phrases from Tinga's file kept repeating themselves over and over until she wanted to be sick, as she had when she first read them: **_'X5-656 captured . . . taken to experimentation site 121-A . . . genetic experiments . . . passing on of traits to possible future offspring . . . good candidate for breeding program . . . unfortunate demise . . . body to be dissected for further research . . .'_ **

Even worse than the words had been the security camera footage which documented everything from Tinga's arrival to Max and Zack's rescue attempt. As she watched Max on the screen, holding Tinga's body and crying, Brin's last tie of loyalty to Manticore had broken. X5-734 disappeared, and Brin came rushing back. Now, as she lay in her bunk, Brin made a promise. _'Never again,'_ she vowed. _'They killed Tinga, they_ _tried to destroy me, and now they're trying to destroy Max. I won't let them do it; not again.'_ Carefully, she began to formulate a plan.


	3. Finding a Way Back, chapter 3

Disclaimer: Y'all know my sad story by now; I don't own 'em, I just like to play with them

Disclaimer: Y'all know my sad story by now; I don't own 'em, I just like to play with them!!! Although, I wouldn't mind owning Michael Weatherly . . . . :shakes self out of fantasy: Ok, well that's the drill. Enjoy!

A/N: Once again, a HUGE thank-you to my betas, afan and angel_gurl! This story would be so flat without you guys and your input! :Blows kisses: Thanks, chicas!!!! Thanks also to everyone who reviewed. :Peers into blackness of internet: Where are you guys? I know you're out there! Come on, read and REVIEW! If you don't let me know you're out there, I can't make you happy! Ok, well anyway, for those few who have reviewed, here is the next bit. Enjoy!!!!

Finding a Way Back, chapter 3

The lights flickered on with military precision, and Max reluctantly opened her eyes. _'Not like there's much to see,' _she commented silently as she gazed around her cell. She wasn't certain how much time had actually passed since her re-capture, but she knew that even one second spent in her private hellhole called Manticore felt like an eternity. She did know that this would be the second "day" of her reindoctrination.

The door opened, and Max looked over, expecting to see Brin with a breakfast tray. To her surprise, the person carrying the tray was not her "sister", but one of the regular soldiers. "Where's Brin?" she demanded.

The soldier gave her an odd look. "I do not know any soldier by that name," he said coldly. "If you refer to X5-734, I was informed that she was unwell this morning." 

"Yeah, probably from having to eat the slop you guys call food around here," Max retorted. _'I guess one thing I should be thankful for is my attitude,' _she thought to herself. _'It's one thing that I can count on to keep me strong through this bitch.'_

The soldier set the tray down on the table, and without missing a beat, backhanded her across the face. "It can be arranged for you not to be fed at all," he informed her, his tone still calm and even. "It makes no difference to the Director; physical weakness can aid the rehabilitation process."

_'He means it; I know he does,' _Max realized. _'I've gotta keep up my strength so I can bust out of here. I can't afford to antagonize anyone yet.'_ "Fine," she said aloud, not bothering to hide the hatred in her voice.

"I'm glad you see things our way," the guard said, a small smirk crossing his face.

He unfastened her arm restraints and sat down in the chair. "Eat," he ordered.

_'I could take him out easy,' _Max thought, her mind racing. _'He's not an X5; I could knock him out and be out the door before anyone knew . . .' _A sudden thought brought her mind to a halt. _'He said Brin was unwell. X5's don't get sick; where could she be? Please, don't let her be in trouble because of me . . .' _The thought that Brin was being punished, or worse yet, executed for trying to dig up information on Tinga made Max vaguely sick. With a great effort, she picked up the fork and began to eat, too worried to even notice the bland taste. When she was finished, the soldier refastened the restraints and left with the tray. 

Max barely had time to process her worry for Brin's safety when the door opened to admit a lab tech with the reindoctrination equipment. Instead of the overly cheery woman from the day before, this one was a man. As he tilted the cot into an upright position, her eyes fell on the nametag attached to his shirt, which bore the words '**Victor Santiago**' in bold print.

_'Victor . . .' _Max flashed back to the conversation she'd had with Jace, about the father of her baby. **_'His name is Victor . . . he's a lab tech at the base . . .' _**

"Jace . . ." Victor started, and turned from what he was doing. Before Max could react, he had slapped his hand over her mouth. "No talking!" he barked. "Defective prototypes are not permitted to address Manticore personnel!" 

Biting her lip, Max realized she'd spoken her sister's name out loud. _'Why are you so worried?'_ an inner voice scoffed. _'What can he do to you? He's just a lab tech.' **'Yeah, well what if he's loyal, like Jace was?' **_another voice retorted. **_'You don't even know if this is her Victor! He also controls the drug you're given; he can pump you up so high, they'll have you turned in no time.'_** Nervously, Max waited for Victor to speak.

Victor glanced around at the surveillance cameras, then held a finger to his lips to indicate silence. Turning back to his cart, he pulled a device from a drawer and flicked a switch. Max watched him silently, too surprised at his actions to do anything else.

"How do you know Jace?" Victor's tone was cautious, but she could easily hear the excitement and eagerness underneath. "Is she all right?" Max hesitated, unwilling to say anything that might jeopardize the safety of Jace and her baby. Victor saw her reluctance, and flashed an understanding smile. "It's all right, we can talk now," he explained as he slipped the device into his pocket. "The cameras have been jammed, but I can only leave it on for a few minutes."

"Where did you get that?" Max asked curiously.

"I built it; I've always been good with electronics," Victor said proudly. "It came in handy when Jace and I wanted to be alone. Where is she? She went on that mission and never came back."

"She's in Mexico," Max told him. "Turns out she was pregnant, with your child."

"My . . ." Victor's mouth dropped open, then closed again with an understanding nod. "They wouldn't have been too happy about that here. Did you help her?"

Max nodded. "I showed her what was right, for her and her baby, and once we got Manticore off our backs, a friend helped her get to Mexico." She was about to say more when the device in Victor's pocket beeped. 

"One minute warning," Victor informed her, pulling it out of his pocket.

"Help me," Max whispered, catching his eyes and holding them with her own. "Help me get out of here, and I'll take you with me. I can get you to Jace."

There was no time for more. Victor flipped the switch to deactivate his device and hid it back in the cart just as the drill instructor entered. "Why hasn't this subject been prepared for the reindoctrination session?" he barked at Victor. "Get a move on, tech, before I report you!"

"Yes, sir!" Victor turned quickly to the cart. Picking up a syringe, he injected Max with it, and she waited for the numbness to blanket her thoughts. To her surprise, her mind cleared instead. Victor caught her attention and mouthed "Fake it", inclining his head towards the instructor. He flipped some switches, and the familiar words began to flash on the wall.

Thanks to whatever Victor had given her, Max was able to ignore the words and the drill instructor's phrases easily. She put on a wooden expression to fool him into thinking that the procedure was working and let her mind wander into a fantasy about Logan, about what it would be like to kiss him again. _'If the first two were any indication, he's a damn good kisser,' _she thought wistfully. _'I can't wait for the next one . . .' _

About halfway through the session, Max's enhanced hearing picked up a faint whine. She looked up at the surveillance camera, just in time to see the red power light go out. Looking over at Victor, she caught his quick shake of the head, indicating that it wasn't his doing. The drill instructor hadn't noticed a thing. He was continuing on with his propaganda when Brin entered the room and beckoned him out into the hall.

Max tried to listen in on their conversation, but she couldn't hear a thing; they had moved beyond the range of even her advanced hearing. _'Brin knows me too well,'_ she admitted with a smile. 

"What do you think is going on?" Victor whispered.

"I don't know," Max hissed back, her lips barely moving. "Try not to say too much."

Victor nodded, and the two of them waited together in silence. The tension in the room rose until it was almost palpable. Finally, a single set of footsteps was heard coming down the hall. 

The door opened, and Brin entered the room. Max opened her mouth to speak, but the other X5 put a finger to her lips. Max and Victor watched silently as Brin checked the cameras, making sure they were deactivated, before turning to face them. 

"Brin, what's going on?" Max demanded. Her sister looked terrible. Lines of sleeplessness marked her face, and an obscure kind of pain lingered behind her eyes, as if she'd seen something she wished she hadn't. Instead of replying, Brin looked at Victor, her gaze clearly suspicious. "It's ok," Max assured her sister hurriedly, understanding her doubts. "This is Victor. Remember when Jace left? It's because she was pregnant. He's the father. It's all right; you can talk in front of him."

"I would never do anything to hurt Jace," Victor said quietly. "Or any of her family; I know how important you are to her." That seemed to reassure Brin; she took a deep breath, as if to steady herself, and Max wondered what her sister could have seen to unsettle her so.

"I saw Tinga's file," Brin said quietly, tears welling up in her eyes. "You were right, Maxie. They did kill her." Victor glanced quickly around the room as if expecting a trap, and Brin managed to smile. "It's all right. I convinced Director Renfro to let me take over Max's reconditioning, in private – no cameras, no listening devices, nothing," she explained. "There are times when Manticore doesn't want a visual record lying around for people to find."

"Will you help me get out of here?" Max asked, her hopes rising.

Brin laughed bitterly. "Help you? Baby sister, I'll get all three of us out. After what I saw, Manticore doesn't own me anymore. They fixed the aging defect, and the seizures. I have no physical or mental ties here anymore, and I'm ready to get back out to the real world."

Max felt her heart lift for the first time since she'd regained consciousness in Hell. _'Will I be home soon after all?'_ she wondered. _'Wait for me Logan, I'm coming . . .'_

"We're going to need a plan," Victor reminded them. "After the '09 escape, security was really stepped up. This isn't going to be a cakewalk."

"Don't worry," Brin assured him. "I've got one. I'll make sure you're assigned to all of Max's sessions; this is going to take a little time."


	4. Finding a Way Back, chapter 4

Disclaimer: YES

Disclaimer: YES! I own Michael Weatherly, I bought him on ebay for 29.95, and he's all MINE! . . . . . :Reality smacks lareina upside the head: All right, all right! :Shoulders slump in defeat.: I don't own any of them, I just borrow them from time to time. Don't bother suing me, I'm too much in debt to make it worth your while. 

A/N: As usual, a HUGE thank you to my betas, afan and angel_gurl – you guys are the best!!! I don't know what this story would be without you. :pauses a moment and reflects: Yes, actually I do; it would be crap!!! Thanks, chicas!!!

A/N 2: I'd like to thank Gaiagalit, Zanna, mustang, Chris, Kyre, michelle, and Kazzy for reviewing my story. Aside from my betas, you guys are the only ones who reviewed my story; I'd like to thank you for that. Your reviews encouraged me to keep writing. Well, I probably would have finished the story anyway, because my muse demands it, but you guys let me know that someone out there cared. :Blows many kisses to everyone: Thanks, peeps! Ok, enough yap, more story!!!

Finding a Way Back, chapter 4

It was after midnight when the door to the penthouse opened and a black-clad figure silently slipped inside. Moving furtively through the living room, it was headed for the bedroom when a powerful flashlight beam hit it, and it stopped. 

"I haven't got anything left to steal." Logan Cale stepped out of the computer room, his gun pointed directly at the figure's head.

Max turned around, her eyes sparkling as she watched the shock spread over his face. "But a girl's gotta make a living," she teased, recalling the words she'd spoken just over a year ago.

"Max!" Logan dropped the gun and swept her up in his arms. "You're alive . . ." he whispered, his voice breaking with unshed tears. "You came back . . ."

"I'll always come back to you, Logan," Max assured him, reveling in the feel of his arms around her. "Always . . ."

Suddenly, blinding white light coming from every direction illuminated the previously dark apartment. Max pulled back to find Logan and the apartment fading away. His voice came to her as if from a great distance. "Max . . . wake up . . ."

"Max, wake up!" Brin's voice jolted her awake, and Max opened her eyes to see her sister standing over her in the brightly lit cell with a breakfast tray. Max felt a tear slide down her cheek as the images from her dream of Heaven faded away, leaving her back in her personal hell.

Brin set the tray down on the table, and leaned over her to undo the restraint on her left arm. "Dreaming of home?" she asked quietly. She held up a hand before Max could protest. "It's all right, they're already deactivated." She undid the other restraint and sat down, not in the chair as usual, but on the side of the bed.

"Is anything happening?" Max asked as she began to eat. She understood the need for caution; Renfro didn't seem to suspect that Brin had seen Tinga's file, or that "X5-734" was no longer loyal to Manticore, but they couldn't announce Max's "conversion" too soon. Still, it had been two weeks since the reconditioning started, plenty of time for even the strongest X5 to break.

"I think so," Brin said, wiping the tear from Max's face. "I told Renfro yesterday that I believed you to be completely loyal to Manticore again, and proposed that I take you on a mission to test you. I wasn't sure if she bought it or not, but this morning she summoned me to her office first thing and said that she wanted to see you this afternoon, after the session."

"Do you think I can fool her?" Max asked nervously, biting her lip.

"If Lydecker was still here, I would say no," Brin admitted. "He raised us, basically; he knows how we think." She smiled briefly. "It didn't help him catch us, though. Anyway, Renfro's another story. She barely knows any of the X-series. We're nothing more than weapons to her; she doesn't care how we function, just that we do. I don't think you'll have much trouble with her."

Suddenly, the door opened; in a flash, Brin jumped up and snapped to attention.

"Relax, it's just me!" Victor grinned as he wheeled his cart into the room. "So, what's the word?"

"The word is go," Brin told him. "Set things up; I need to show Max how to fool Renfro."

Max paid very close attention to the session that morning, repeating the words over and over and burning the information into her mind. _'Get it right the first time,'_ she reminded herself. _'My life depends on this . . .'_

Renfro's visit came without warning, just after lunch. As she entered the room, Max forced herself to lay straight and still on the cot, as they had when they were children, ignoring the restraints that still bound her.

The blond woman stood at the foot of the bed for several minutes, studying her with an unreadable expression on her face. "Undo the restraints," she said finally, gesturing at Brin. "I want her on her feet."

"Yes, ma'am!" Brin quickly snapped off the restraints.

The instant the last restraint was undone, Max shot to her feet and stood at attention beside her sister. "Ma'am, X5-452 reporting for duty, ma'am!" she said loudly, saluting.

Renfro returned the salute in a perfunctory manner. "What is your full designation, soldier?" she asked.

"Ma'am, this soldier's designation is 332960073452, ma'am!" Max replied, shooting all the information out in one breath.

"And what is your purpose, X5-452?" Renfro asked, a smile beginning to form on her face.

Max didn't blink; these were all expected questions. "Ma'am, this soldier's purpose is to serve, protect, and defend Manticore until my last breath, ma'am!"

Renfro's smile widened; she was obviously pleased with what she was hearing. "Would you kill to protect Manticore, X5-452?"

"Ma'am, yes ma'am!" Max replied.

"And who would you kill?" Renfro asked, one eyebrow lifting in speculation.

Max did blink at that; Brin hadn't mentioned this question. _'She's throwing you a curveball,'_ her mind whispered. _'Stay cool, you can do this!'_ She could feel Brin tense up next to her as she opened her mouth to answer. "Ma'am, this soldier would immediately execute anyone who posed a clear and present threat to the safety and survival of Manticore, ma'am!"

"Even me?" Renfro had stopped smiling, and was studying Max with a strangely intent expression.

Max felt her stomach tie itself into a knot. Her life depended on the answer to this question, she was certain of it, and she had no idea what to say. _'I could be dead either way,'_ she said to herself. _'Oh well, here we go . . .'_ Mentally, she flipped a coin. "Ma'am, if Manticore's survival required your death, yes ma'am!"

Renfro turned away from her, walking to the other side of the room. There was a long pause; Max could feel beads of sweat forming on her forehead as she waited for the other woman to speak. _'Oh, shit, I said the wrong thing!'_ an inner voice wailed. _'I am so dead!'_ All of a sudden, a staccato noise broke the silence, and Max was surprised to see Renfro clapping as she turned around.

"Very good, X5-452," she said. "Welcome back to your family." She turned to Brin. "Report to my office at 2200 hours, and I'll have your mission briefing. You'll leave first thing in the morning."

"Yes, ma'am!" Brin saluted as Renfro left the room. When the footsteps faded away, she ran to the door and opened it, checking the hallway to make sure it was clear. Pulling her head back in, she double-checked the deactivated cameras and turned to Max. "I think we did it, little sister," she said, a smile spreading across her face.

All the strength went out of Max's spine as she heard that, and she sat down heavily on the bed. "One more night," she said softly, looking up at Brin. "One more night of hell, and I'm home free?"

"We're both home free," Brin reminded her firmly. "I'll be back later, after I get the briefing from Renfro, to let you know where we're being sent. Try to get some rest." She smiled again before slipping from the room.

Max didn't remember closing her eyes, but suddenly she was being wakened by Brin, and only moonlight shone into the cell.

"Did you get it?" Max asked, shaking her head to clear the cobwebs. "Where are they sending us?"

The moonlight was coming in from behind Brin, so Max couldn't see her sister's face clearly. "They're sending us to Seattle," she said finally. "Our mission is to kill Eyes Only."


	5. Finding a Way Back, chapter 5

Disclaimer: If I owned them, would I be in the job I'm in

Disclaimer: If I owned them, would I be in the job I'm in? No, I'd be living in Texas in a really big house, letting the money roll in! Y'all know that Mr. Titanic Man and Mr. Chic own them, so why do you make me say it all the time? . . . Oh, yeah, that's why. I don't wanna get sued! Not that I have anything to sue for, but stranger things have happened.

A/N: I don't know why I still update this poor little lonely story . . . oh, wait, there are actually people out there who read it! Actually, I'm kinda hooked now myself; I wanna see where I can go with this. Please, PLEASE put words in the little review box; feed my hiatus-starved soul with glowing comments! As of right now, there are 4 days and 6 hours to the premiere!! (I'm not obsessed – can't you tell? LOL!!!)

A/N 2: As usual, HUGE amounts of thanks to my wonderful betas, afan and angel_gurl, for breathing life into what was originally a poor husk of a story. Mucho besitos, amigas!!! As for the rest of you who reviewed, many thanks; you keep me going! 

Ok, enough yap – here's chapter 5!!!!!!

Finding a Way Back, chapter 5

"Eyes Only!" Max cried, bolting upright. "When did he become a target?"

"They became aware of him when he alerted the X5's that they had been compromised after Zack's escape," Brin began. "Then, during the incident with Ben, Lydecker's meeting with him confirmed suspicions that he was helping you. They narrowed his broadcasts down to the Seattle area, and we're being sent in to locate and eliminate Eyes Only."

"When do we leave?" Max asked.

"First thing in the morning," Brin replied. "I just wanted to let you know so you could prepare yourself." She got up and headed for the door. "Get some rest," she said over her shoulder, and then she was gone.

Despite her sister's admonition, Max found herself unable to sleep. Her mind raced, bringing up thoughts of Logan, her friends, and her life in Seattle. _'Not yet,'_ she told herself firmly. _'Not until they let you out the gate. Until then, you have to be Manticore; play their game a little while longer.' _The night stretched on, and sunrise seemed to be a long time in coming.

When the first faint light began to glimmer through the window, Max jumped out of bed. The surveillance cameras were back on, so she took care to act the part of a Manticore soldier. A small chest at the foot of the bed held standard camouflage uniforms; trying to suppress her distaste, she put one on. She was dressed and waiting when Brin entered the room. Max snapped to attention and waited for her sister to make the first move.

Brin barely glanced at the cameras. "It's time," she said, her tone firm and brisk. "Are you prepared for the mission, X5-452?"

_'Prepared? I can't wait!'_ Max cried mentally. Squashing the inner voice, she replied aloud, "I am prepared, X5-734."

"Good. Let's move out, then." Brin turned towards the door, and Max followed close behind. They walked silently through the halls, heading for the garage bay where a fully loaded vehicle would be waiting.

As they went, Max worked hard to suppress the memories that flowed through her, of marching through these same hallways with her siblings, the echo of their footsteps surrounding them. And then later, the night of the escape, crouched in a similar hallway watching as Lydecker shot Eva down . . .

Suddenly Brin was no longer at her side. Confused, Max stopped and looked at the door her sister had ducked into. **_Infirmary_** was printed in large red letters across the front. When Brin returned, there was a small bag slung over her shoulder. She didn't say anything, but made a hand gesture that Max recognized as an order to keep moving. She suppressed her curiosity and followed Brin the rest of the way to the garage.

Victor met them just inside the door. "What are you doing here?" Max asked in surprise. 

"I had him assigned to us, to handle the electronic equipment," Brin said shortly. "Let's go." She led them over to a van parked just outside the bay doors. Victor pulled open the sliding side door and got in; from what Max could see of the inside, the setup would have done Logan proud. She climbed into the passenger seat as Brin moved around to the driver's side; within minutes, they were headed for the perimeter gate.

"Try not to be so tense, little sister," Brin said gently, glancing over at Max. "Take a deep breath; relax. We're being sent on a mission, it happens all the time. Just follow my lead, look at the soldiers like they're a lower form of life, and they won't suspect a thing." A slight smile crossed her face. "They're used to it by now."

At the gatehouse, a soldier stepped into the road and gestured for them to stop. Brin rolled down the window as he approached. "ID cards and travel orders, please," he ordered. 

Brin passed a set of papers to him. "X5-734, X5-452, and Equipment Specialist Santiago, en route to Seattle. Mission: EO," she said crisply, a hint of disdain in her voice.

The soldier examined the papers and then looked past Brin to Victor in the back, and then to Max. She tried not to react as his eyes drilled into her, working instead on an expression of contempt, as if the soldier wasn't worth her time. 

It seemed to work; the soldier rolled his eyes and handed the papers back to Brin. "Command has already called down your mission confirmation," he said, boredom in his voice and expression. "Proceed."

"Acknowledged." Brin rolled up the window and waited for the gate to open. No one said a word as they passed through and turned onto the road leading to Seattle. Once Manticore had disappeared into the distance, Brin pulled the van over to the side of the road.

Max opened her mouth to speak, but Brin held up a hand to silence her. She followed that with a series of hand signals that Max recognized from their childhood: **_'Be silent, and follow.'_**

The two of them left the van and headed into the woods, where a small river ran parallel to the road. Turning to face Max, Brin made some more hand signals: **_'Turn around, and kneel.'_**

Max hesitated, unsure of what to do. Brin was her sister, and Max trusted her, but what if this was all a trick, a test of her loyalty that she had failed? Was Brin supposed to kill her?

Brin saw her hesitation, and smiled understandingly. Reaching back, she undid the severe braid her hair had been in, letting it fall freely around her face. **_'Trust me, Musketeer,'_** her hands said.

That phrase sent Max's mind back to their childhood, in the days just after they had all been put together as a squadron. One night, during a thunderstorm when none of them could sleep, Max and Jondy had joined her in her bed. Huddled under the blanket like a tent, the three girls told stories to make each other laugh. One of the stories Jondy told was something she'd overheard from one of the guards. It was a story about three friends, soldiers who fought together and protected each other – The Three Musketeers. 

_"I wish we could be like that," Brin sighed._

"We are," Max insisted. "Here – we'll take an oath." The three of them reached out and clasped hands. "All for one," Max began, repeating the words of the soldiers from Jondy's story.

"And one for all!" Jondy's blue eyes flashed with excitement. "That's us – the Three Musketeers."

"Forever," Brin agreed. 

Max turned around and knelt, waiting. She heard the rasp of a knife leaving its sheath, and forced herself to remain calm and still. The knife dug into the base of her neck, just below her barcode, and Max fought to remain conscious as pain shot up and down her spine.

After a few seconds that felt like an eternity, it was over, and Brin was bandaging the wound. She then knelt in front of Max. Handing over the knife, Brin pointed to a spot on her neck, also below the barcode, and made a gesture: **_'Cut.'_**

Max ran her fingers over the area Brin had indicated and was not surprised to find a bump. Making a small incision, she pulled back the skin to reveal a flashing locator device. **_'Don't smash it,'_** Brin's hands told her. **_'Just remove it.'_** Max did so, and then bandaged the wound.

Brin stood up, and the two of them exchanged implants, each taking her own. That task complete, they headed back to the road. Victor had exited the van, and was waiting with a container for the implants. Once they were inside, he sealed it and put it into a black travel bag that Max hadn't noticed before. Brin nodded to him, then turned to Max with a smile. "Let's go home, little sister."

Max couldn't help herself; she grinned back. "Sounds good to me," she agreed.

They traveled for a few hours, and then stopped to eat. On the way back to the van, Max remembered something. "Brin, what's in that bag you grabbed from the infirmary?" she asked.

"Oh!" Brin slipped the bag off her shoulder and opened it, her smile growing. She withdrew a syringe and a vial of liquid. "This is Manticore's solution to our problems," she announced, holding the vial up for Max to see. "They combined their research on our seizures and Werner's syndrome and came up with this. I brought it for you."

Max stopped dead, her hand on the passenger door of the van, as Brin's words impacted on her brain. No more seizures. No more dependence on Tryptophan. To live free . . . 

As if triggered by her thoughts, her hand began to tremble. The seizure descended quicker than any ever had before, so quickly she had no chance to speak. She heard Brin shout as she fell, felt strong arms catch her, and then blackness overtook her.


	6. Finding a Way Back, chapter 6

Disclaimer: :lareina_Selena pores over various legal texts, looking for a loophole that will allow her to claim Dark Angel and its characters for herself

Disclaimer: :lareina_Selena pores over various legal texts, looking for a loophole that will allow her to claim Dark Angel and its characters for herself. Finally, she slams book shut in disgust: Ok, fine! They don't belong to me! Is that what you wanted to hear? Huh? Are you happy now?

A/N: Once again, I'd like to shower my betas, afan and angel_gurl with many virtual hugs and kisses for making this story so much more than it started out as. You guys are the best; you've helped me take this story much farther than I had originally mapped out. Thanks to them, there will be a chapter 7 and maybe even a chapter 8 if you're lucky! So thank them, and also go and read their stories! 

A/N 2: I'd also like to thank all the people who have reviewed my story. You guys keep me going! Ok, enough rambling; here's chapter 6! And again, PLEASE read and review!!! Emphasis on the REVIEW part – LOL!

Finding a Way Back, chapter 6

There was blackness all around her, a blackness so complete it was like peering into the depths of space without any stars to light the way. Max tried to call for help, but her voice was swallowed up so completely by the inky depths it was as if she had never cried out at all.

_'Where am I?'_ she wondered. _'I was having a seizure . . . I must be dreaming.'_ She tried to will herself awake, but nothing happened. _'Well, I guess I'm stuck here for a while . . .Maybe I could at least improve my surroundings?'_

Raising a hand, Max made sure that her eyes were closed, and then began to envision herself in Logan's apartment. When she could almost feel his arms around her, she smiled, and opened her eyes. She didn't see anything at first, and a wave of bitter disappointment washed over her. Then, a tiny spot of light caught her eye, winking and blinking at her from what seemed to be a long way away. 

Max took a moment to ponder her options. _'Hello? Not much of a choice!'_ her inner voice scoffed at her. _'You can stay here and do nothing, or you can go and see what the hell that star is doing.'_ Max shrugged in agreement, and headed for the tiny winking star.

It was impossible to estimate distances in the void, but she seemed to be less than halfway to the light when a low growling sound came from behind her. Max whirled around, trying to find the source of the noise, but there was nothing there.

_'I don't like the sound of that . . .'_ The noise reminded her of noises she had heard at Manticore, late at night. She and her siblings had assigned the noises to 'the 'Nomlies in the basement.' Hearing it again now brought back all of her childhood fears. Max swallowed and continued towards the light a little faster.

The growling came again, closer. This time when she turned, she caught a flash of light, like from a set of huge teeth. Suddenly, Max lost all control; panic gripped her, and she began to run. She could hear the 'Nomlie behind her, coming closer no matter how fast she ran. 

An eternity seemed to pass as she ran, pursued by the embodiment of all her childhood fears. Finally, however, she reached the source of the blinking light. Actually, it was more like she collided with it. Shaking her head to clear it, Max realized that she was sitting down in front of a massive dark wall. The light was coming from a hole in the wall, about eye level from where she was sitting. 

Hesitantly, Max reached out to touch the wall. Her fingers encountered some kind of fabric, thin but tightly woven. It was stretched out very tightly, which explained why it had knocked her down. The hole was only about as big as her finger; when she put her eye up to it, Max's heart leaped as she saw the familiar view of Logan's living room.

Another growl from behind her reminded Max of the 'Nomlie still pursuing her. It was getting closer now, and its growling reminded Max of a time at Manticore, when she had watched a guard dog chase down an X4 who tried to escape. The dog had made that noise when it smelled fresh prey.

Turning back to the hole, Max inserted a finger and tried to widen the opening. It wasn't easy going; the threads were fine, but incredibly strong and tough to break, even for her. She had gotten to the point where she could use both hands when the growling turned into full-blown roars, and the 'Nomlie came charging out of the darkness towards her.

Stifling a scream, Max pulled at the hole, trying desperately to escape. The strands dug into her hands until they were slick with blood, making it hard for her to get a grip, but she kept on pulling. Finally, with a loud ripping noise, the wall of fabric tore in half. Max dove through into the safety of Logan's apartment, praying that the 'Nomlie wouldn't be able to follow . . . 

Unfortunately, tearing the fabric had caused the whole barrier to collapse, and the 'Nomlie charged through as well, landing on top of Max on the apartment floor. Automatically, she rolled to the side, throwing it off her back and getting to her feet in one smooth motion. As she saw it for the first time in the light of day, she couldn't hold back her revulsion. The thing was vaguely humanoid, but its ears were pointed almost like a cat's. When it opened its mouth to shriek at her, she could see that its teeth were pointed as well. It stood hunched over, its arms extended and clawlike fingers grasping for her, and a tail lashed around its feet. 

"Get away from her!" Startled by the unexpected voice, Max turned to see Logan emerging from his room, shotgun in hand. They all stood there for a moment, frozen in time; Logan at one end of the living room, Max and the 'Nomlie at the other – standing right in front of the line of huge windows overlooking Seattle. Suddenly, the 'Nomlie growled again, and she turned back to see the creature's hungry eyes fixate on Logan.

"Get out!" Max cried. "Logan, get out of the apartment!" It was too late, though; the 'Nomlie had begun its charge. Max started forward to stop it, but Logan beat her to it. He fired, and the bullet hit the 'Nomlie square in the chest. The force of the shotgun blast threw it off course, away from him – and right towards Max.

Max tried to dodge out of its way, but there was no time. The 'Nomlie slammed into her full force, momentum carrying them towards the windows, and certain death. She struggled desperately to free herself from its grip, but the creature's fingers entwined themselves in her hair, hands fisting tightly, and she knew there was no escape. They hit the window together, glass flying around them in a diamond glitter as they fell into open air, and the 'Nomlie's triumphant shriek mixed with Max's scream . . . 

And then the blackness returned, and Max fell almost gratefully into its welcoming oblivion.


	7. Finding a Way Back, Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Sigh . . . . :lareina raises white flag in defeat: Alright, I give up! Y'all know I don't own 'em, I just like to play with them. Don't bother to sue me, all you'll get is my school loan, my car loan, and my Pikachu doll. Just let me have my delusions, ok?

A/N: I would like to give many virtual hugs and kisses to all the people who have reviewed my story so far. Yes, I know I haven't updated in a while, but you guys try working seven hours a day and finding time to be creative! Oh – wait, some of you probably do . . . ok, never mind . . . I was just ranting, don't mind me . . . . seriously though, thanks a lot; you guys keep me going!

A/N 2: And as always, huge amounts of hugs, kisses, and virtual flowers to my awesome betas, afan and angel_gurl!!!! You guys are totally cool; this story would so totally suck without you guys!! (Ok, maybe it wouldn't, but who knows? I don't want to find out!) Ok, enough yapping; on with the show!!! (Drum roll . . . . . . . . . . . )

Finding a Way Back, chapter 7

Max had no way of telling how long she floated in the blackness; time was irrelevant. Sometimes there were 'Nomlies chasing her, but most of the time she was left on her own to drift ghostlike through the void. At times, something nagged at her subconscious, something important she knew she needed to remember, but it always slipped away before she could catch hold of it.

Eventually, sensations returned. First was the feeling of lying on something hard and flat. A smell intruded next, a mixture of oil and gasoline – she was in some kind of vehicle. A sense of motion indicated that the vehicle was being driven. There was music playing, a pre-Pulse love song, and an off-key female voice singing along.

"I hate to tell you this, Brin, but you can't sing," a male voice joked; it sounded closer to her than the female. "Don't quit your day job, all right?"

"Sorry, Victor, but Manticore wasn't real big on choir lessons," the female voice threw back, laughing. "And I hate to be the one to break it to you, but we both just quit our day jobs, remember?"

Max frowned; the voices were familiar, as were the names they mentioned. _'Brin . . . Victor . . .Manticore . . .'_ the words ran around and around in her mind, sparking memories that turned into a flood. The attack on Manticore, getting shot by her X7 clone, meeting Victor, convincing Brin, planning the escape – _the escape!_ Max's eyes flew open, and she looked around.

"Max!" Victor was leaning over her, a worried look on his face. "Are you ok? How do you feel?" 

Max took stock of her surroundings before replying. She was lying on a cot in the back of a van – _'the one we used to drive right out the front gate, on our 'mission'_, she reminded herself. She was tied to the cot by what looked like bungee cord. She tried to speak, but her throat was dry and scratchy.

"Wait a minute; I'll get you some water," Victor told her. "Brin, pull over, she's awake!" he called to the front. Disappearing briefly, he came back with a cup and held her head up so she could drink.

"Victor, what happened?" Max asked once her throat had cleared. "Why am I tied down?" She felt the van pull over and stop.

"It was for your own protection," Brin said as she appeared next to Victor. "You were shaking pretty bad, and we didn't want you to hurt yourself while the medication was doing its work." A tired smile brightened her face. "How do you feel, baby sister?"

Max sighed as she assessed herself. "Like I've been fighting Zack in hand-to-hand for three days straight," she admitted. "What happened?"

"You had a seizure," Brin told her. She nodded to Victor, and the two of them began untying the cords that bound Max to the cot. "The medication works better when a seizure is actually in progress, so I gave it to you right away." She paused, and a look of concern passed over her face. "You've been out for almost 36 hours."

"36 hours!" Max sat up, rubbing absently at some spots where the cords had dug into her arms. "Did you know it was going to take that long?"

Brin shook her head. "When they gave it to me, I was in the advanced stages of the progeria; I barely knew where I was. They used certain drugs on me while I was unconscious, and when I woke up, I was loyal to Manticore again. It never occurred to me to ask."

Max frowned as she digested what her sister had told her. "But why didn't they use those drugs on me?" she asked finally. "Why go through all the hocus pocus?"

"Renfro wanted to break you herself," Victor told her. "Scuttlebutt around the labs was that she considered you a challenge – second in command of the X5's, one of the strongest, behind Zack. He was dead, so she made you her project. If she could have turned you, she would have had the Committee right where she wanted them; they would have given her anything – literally, _anything_."

"Sorry to put a crimp in her little power trip," Max muttered. "So, what's the plan? Where are we?"

"We're about half a day's ride from Seattle," Brin told her. "We were about to stop for a while anyway. We wanted to wait for you to wake up so that we could plan our next move."

"Well, I won't be much help 'till I get some coffee," Max groaned as she worked out a kink in her neck. "I feel like I've been run over by an armored car."

Victor laughed, and handed her a steaming cup. "We actually stopped at a fast food place a few miles back, so there's some food too if you're hungry," he told her.

After Max had eaten, the three of them sat under a tree to determine their next move. "I can't remember the last time I did this," Brin said quietly, staring up at the sky.

"What, snuck out of Manticore?" Victor teased. "Don't tell me reconditioning affected your memory that much. Weren't you about nine at the time?"

"Well, that wasn't much of a sneak, Victor," Max corrected him. "I seem to remember lots of lights and sirens."

"And shooting," Brin chimed in. "Don't forget the shooting." The brief smile faded from her face. "No, I meant just sitting under a tree, looking up at the sky. I've always been training, fighting, running, or hiding."

"Maybe someday Manticore will go down for good; then we'll all be able to do it," Max said softly.

There was a long moment of uncomfortable silence. Brin and Max couldn't help but think of their brothers and sisters who they would never be able to share that freedom with. Victor stayed quiet, not wanting to intrude on their memories.

After a few minutes, Brin sighed and shifted position slightly so that the three of them were sitting in a triangle facing each other. "So, what's our next move?" she asked.

"We need to get rid of those locators," Victor said immediately. "If we don't, they'll use them to track you down, once they realize you didn't carry out the mission."

Max turned that thought over in her head for a while, until the answer popped up almost of its own volition. A smile spread slowly across her face as she realized how perfect it was. "I've got it," she announced, jumping to her feet.

"What is it, Max?" Brin asked as she and Victor rose as well.

"You'll see," Max grinned. "Victor, head for the airport."

Victor's face reflected his confusion, but he nodded and climbed into the driver's seat. Max and Brin got in the back, and they were off.

When they got to the airport, Max signaled to Brin: **_'Go quiet, mission active.'_** Brin nodded once in reply, her expression quickly slipping into 'soldier mode'. Max grabbed the black bag containing the locators, and the two women exited the van.

When they entered the main terminal, Max quickly picked a flight from the onscreen display, pointed it out to Brin, and made a series of hand signals. The two of them moved quickly out to the loading area, two figures lost in a crowd of people and luggage carts moving back and forth across the tarmac.

It was Brin who spotted their target cart first, moving slowly towards one of the airplanes. She pointed it out to Max, who moved to intercept it. Staying back just far enough to avoid alerting the cart's driver, she quickly dropped the bag atop the pile of luggage and returned to where Brin had waited. The two women made their way out of the airport as silently and swiftly as they had entered it.

"Well? What happened?" Victor demanded as soon as they entered the van. "What did you do with the bag?"

"We put them on a plane," Max shrugged. She and Brin grinned wickedly at each other as they made themselves comfortable on the rear seats.

Victor rolled his eyes. "No kidding you put them on a plane; we are at an airport," he pointed out, his tone heavy with sarcasm. "May I ask where the plane is going?"

"Oh, that? Why didn't you say so in the first place?" Brin asked, her smile as big as Max's. "It's going to Switzerland."

"We all knew Renfro would start hunting us down immediately once we didn't come back from our 'mission'," Max explained, taking pity on Victor's look of exasperation. "Keeping the locators in the same country as us would be stupid, not to mention counter-productive to our objective of disappearing. I sent them to Switzerland because of its location; you can get to several different countries fairly quickly. It should make it that much harder for Manticore to track us down – not to mention the fact that we're not even in Europe."

Victor thought it over for a minute, and then began to laugh. "That's perfect!" he agreed. "Great strategy."

Max affected an air of boredom, buffing her nails on her shirt and yawning. "What can I say?" she shrugged. "It's in the genes."

Victor shook his head and turned around in his seat. "So – where to now, ladies?" he asked, starting the van's engine.

"Fogle Towers," Max sighed, leaning her head back against the seat. "Home."


	8. Finding a Way Back, Chapter 8

Ok, I am **sooooo** sorry, you guys! For some reason, I thought I had finished this story. I really didn't mean to leave you hanging like that. The story has been finished for a while, but I thought I had finished uploading it. This is the very last chapter, so celebrate and be happy! 

Disclaimer: Ummmm . . . . I'd just like to say that I don't own anything . . . . :looks nervously over shoulder at James Cameron, who stands nearby glaring: So please don't sue – even with two jobs, I still don't own anything worth anything! 

A/N: Once more, a round of applause for my fantastic betas, afan and angel_gurl – you guys were so patient with me! I'm pretty sure they beta'd this chapter, but if you find any mistakes, they're all mine!

A/N 2: A little plug – for those of you who have read my BOP story, yes, I am working on a sequel – or trying to, anyway. A combination of writer's block and Real Life is kinda getting in the way, so be patient!!

Ok, my most abject apologies once again . . . . and now, the conclusion!!!!!                                                 Finding a Way Back, chapter 8 

            Logan stared in shock at the computer screen, the information displayed there confirming what he had felt for a month, ever since the raid on Manticore: Max was alive. "I knew it," he whispered to himself. "I knew they could fix you." Filled with fresh determination, he resumed his hacking, looking for more information.

            "Hang on, love," he said softly, reaching out to touch a picture of Max that was taped to his monitor. "I'll bring you home; I swear it."        

                                    -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  

It was late afternoon when the van pulled up in front of Fogle Towers, and the setting sun lit up the building, making it look like a giant column of flame. Max stared up at it, transfixed; she tried to will her feet to move, but they seemed fixed to the floor of the van.

            "Are you ok, Max?" Brin asked. She and Victor had climbed out of the van and were standing on the sidewalk waiting for her. 

            Realizing that she was holding her breath, Max let it out slowly. "Just nervous, I guess," she admitted. "He thinks I'm dead, you know. What if he's moved on? What if he found someone else?"

            "After a month? Not likely," Brin scoffed. "Trust me, baby sister. If he's even half as hung up on you as you are on him, he's still waiting for you." She reached in and grabbed Max's hand, pulling her firmly out of the van. "Come on, soldier – time to complete the objective."

            Max took a deep breath, trying to steady the sudden attack of butterflies in her stomach. Looking up at the building again, she watched the sunlight fade, and gathered her courage. "All right," she said finally, squaring her shoulders. "Let's get this done and over with before I lose my nerve."

            There was no one else in the elevator as they rode up to the penthouse, for which Max was grateful. Her mind kept wandering to various possibilities, most of which involved Logan finding someone new. _'Stop it!'_ she told herself. _'Brin's right; you have nothing to worry about.'_ Still, a small number of butterflies continued to flutter.

            When they got to Logan's floor, Max stopped for a minute to consider the door, a smile playing over her face.

            "Is something wrong, Max?" Victor asked.

            "No," Max replied. "Just remembering." She rummaged through her bag and came up with a set of tools, which she used to open the door within seconds.

            "I see you haven't lost your touch, baby sister," Brin said with a smile.

            Max grinned back, and then motioned for silence as the door swung open.

            The apartment was dark; the only light to be seen was coming from the computer room. _'Logan hasn't changed,' Max thought to herself with a smile. __'At least, I hope he hasn't,' she amended sadly, as she imagined what he must have gone through after her 'death'. _

            Creeping silently to the door, she leaned against the doorjamb and watched Logan work. His back was to her, which gave her a chance to note the changes in him. His hair was a little longer, and not so spiky. He was sitting in a regular chair, rather than his wheelchair, so Max assumed that he was still using the exoskeleton. Logan was staring intently at the computer screen, which reflected a clear, if somewhat distorted image of his face behind him for her to see. 

            In one of their many conversations, Logan had called the eyes 'windows to the soul.' She'd never really been sure whether to believe him or not; even if it was true, could anyone created in a test tube really have a soul? But even the reflection of Logan's eyes conveyed all the suffering of his soul over the past weeks, and Max felt her heart break at seeing it. The passion and vibrancy that she'd always loved was gone, replaced by cold determination.

            Unable to bear watching any more, Max took a step into the room. "So, I see you're back at it," she said casually, deliberately choosing words from one of their first encounters to identify herself. "Rocking the boat."

            To her surprise, Logan didn't appear to be overly startled. When he turned to face her, however, some of the life had returned to his blue eyes. "Somebody has to," he replied, a smile tugging at his lips.

            "I would have come sooner," Max said with a shrug, moving into the room.

            "But you didn't," Logan finished for her. Standing up, he moved towards her, into her personal space. His eyes darkened as he reached out to her, his touch feather-light along her cheek and jaw.

            That touch broke the final barrier. Max reached out and pulled Logan's lips to her own, letting the kiss say everything that she could not. The long weeks fell away, and it was as if she had never been gone.

            When at last they came up for air, a muffled giggle from the still-open door reminded Max that Brin and Victor were still outside. Logan heard it too, and amusement flickered in his eyes. "Don't tell me you picked up some strays," he suggested.

            "Only some friends," Max told him, beckoning the two inside. "They helped me escape." Once introductions had been made,  the four of them settled in the living room over coffee to begin the long process of explanations.

            "I can't thank you enough for helping her," Logan said to Brin and Victor, leaning back in his chair. All the stories had been finished, and they were moving on with the process of digesting it all. "I can only imagine how hard it must have been to go against Manticore like that."

            Victor shrugged. "I had stopped believing in Manticore a long time ago," he admitted. "Jace made it a little better, but once she was gone I started looking for an excuse to leave. What better way to do it than by giving them the bird?"

            Brin laughed at that, then sobered. "I have to admit, after they reprogrammed me, I was totally loyal, the perfect soldier," she said softly. "But I never forgot my family, or how much they meant to me. That was always separate from our Manticore training. Once Max forced me to discover the truth about Tinga's death, I knew I had to leave again, to reclaim the life they stole from me."

            "There's one thing I'm worried about, though," Logan said, turning back to Max. "The locators are on their way to Switzerland, but what happens once they get there? The bag will be unclaimed, and it will just sit there in the airport. Renfro might follow it there, but once she finds them, she'll just come right back here."

            "That would be true," Max agreed, a smile spreading across her face, "if I had put it on a regular plane."

            "What do you mean?" Victor asked.

            "I put it on a cargo plane," Max explained. "See, on the way to the airport, I was busy. I knew Manticore had to have connections in Switzerland; it made sense, given the kind of work they do. So I got into their database, and sure enough, there's a research lab. So I made up a fake label, using the lab as the destination, and creating a fictional return address in Alaska."

            "So when it arrives in the lab, they won't know what it is!" Brin caught on, her face lighting up.

            "That's what I'm hoping," Max confirmed. "I also created a series of pickup and delivery instructions which should send the bag over half of Europe. Even if Manticore does get its hands on the locators, they won't know where we are. We could be in Europe, we could be in Alaska, or we could be anywhere in the States."

            "Or in Mexico," Victor added. He shot a meaningful glance at Logan. "Max said she could get me to Jace, that she was in Mexico. I assume you can help with that?"

            "Yes I can," Logan said, nodding. "And I assume that you want a new identity as well?" he continued, looking over at Brin.

            "Eventually," Brin agreed. I'd like to stay and catch up with Maxie for a while, though."

            Max grinned at her sister. "I have no problem with that," she agreed. 

            "Somehow that doesn't surprise me," Logan teased, his blue eyes twinkling with laughter. "How about some dinner? I can make Pasta Tricolore."

            Max faked an aggravated sigh. "Logan, they're supposed to leave soon!" she mock-scolded. "Don't feed them too well, or we'll never get rid of them!"

            The whole group burst out laughing, and then moved into the kitchen to help prepare the meal.

            It didn't take long for Logan to get papers for Victor, and he departed for Mexico a few days later, eager to reunite with Jace and their child. That night, Logan and Max sat together on the couch in the living room, drinking wine and listening to Sibelius in the background.

            "This is nice," Max sighed, snuggling up to Logan. "I dreamed about this every night at Manticore – being here with you like this."

            Logan's arms tightened around her at the mention of Manticore, and he took a deep breath as if preparing for something. "That last time we were together, in the woods," he began. "What were you trying to tell me?"

            Surprised, Max sat up and turned to face him. "You mean you don't know?" A teasing smile spread over her face. "I would have thought the great and powerful Eyes Only would have figured it out by now."

            Her face softened, and she put a hand to his face, caressing his cheek. "I love you, Logan."

            Logan's eyes met hers, and the pure, unwavering love that shone from them warmed Max's heart and soul in a way she'd never known before. As he pulled her from the couch and led her to the bedroom, Max knew that heaven could not possibly compare to the love she had found. She had truly found her way back, out of Hell, and into Heaven.


End file.
